In one, Peter told his father: "We all know that you were driving and you put pressure on mum. Accept it or face the consequences. You've told me that was the case. Or will this be another lie?"

The former Energy Secretary replied: "I have no intention of sending Mum to Holloway Prison for three months. Dad."

Peter tried again: "Are you going to accept your responsibility or do I have to contact the police and tell them what you told me?”

"Discuss it with Mum," replied his father.

The messages were sent between in 2010 and 2011 and showed Huhne's efforts to speak to his son, who had been left distraught by his parents’ break-up.

At one point, his teenage son told his father: "I don't want to speak to you, you disgust me."

Chris Huhne then wrote: “I understand that I have really offended you but I hope that the passage of time will provide some perspective... I love you and I will be there to support you if you ever need it.”

His son responded: “You are right - the perspective involves me getting angrier with every day that goes by. You just don't get it.”

Here are some more of the text messages read to the court:

2010

June 28

Chris Huhne: “Peter, just to say, I'm thinking of you and I love you very much. It would be great to talk to you, Dad.”
Peter Huhne: “Fuck off.”

Huhne had tried to write a letter to his son, sparking a negative reaction:

July 22

PH: “So nice to see our entire relationship reduced to lies and pleasantries in that letter. Do you take me for an idiot? The fact you said your parents were happier as a result of their divorce was disgusting...”
“You are the most ghastly man I have ever known. Does it give you pleasure that you have lost most of your friends?”

December 25

CH: “Happy Christmas. Love you, Dad.”

PH: “Well I hate you, so fuck off.”

December 28

CH: “Tiger, Have you had any news from St Peter's yet? Love Dad”

No answer

CH: “Congratulations, I'm really proud of you, Dad.”

No answer

CH: “Well I'm proud and I love you, Dad.”

PH: “Leave me alone, you have no place in my life and no right to be proud. It's irritating that you don't seem to take the point. You are such an autistic piece of shit. Don't contact me again, you make me feel sick.”

The attempts by Huhne’s legal team to get the case thrown before his 11th-hour guilty plea have also been made public for the first time.

The politician's legal team, led by top QC John Kelsey-Fry, sparked hours of legal argument with an application to get the case dismissed, as well as one to have the trial stayed because of an abuse of process.

Huhne had repeatedly denied the allegations, which first emerged through newspapers in 2011 - a year after he left Vicky Pryce for PR adviser Carina Trimingham, who worked on his Lib Dem leadership campaigns in 2006 and 2007.

Dismissing the claims as "simply incorrect", he stepped down from the Cabinet to fight the charges.

While Pryce denied the charge on the grounds of marital coercion, Huhne did not enter a plea, as it became clear his lawyers would fight the case.

Reportable for the first time today Kelsey-Fry, who reportedly charges up to £20,000 a day for his services, embarked on attempts to stop the case from coming to trial, branding the prosecution's case "at best gossamer thin", claiming the evidence was all circumstantial.

But prosecutors said the combination of evidence led to the finger pointing at Huhne as the person behind the wheel - despite his claims he could not remember the offence.

The former Cabinet minister had a history of speeding and, with nine points, was already in danger of losing his licence, they said.